Method and apparatus for automatically terminating dispensing of beverage when supply is empty

ABSTRACT

A beverage dispensing system includes a supply of beverage or beverage ingredient which is subjected to gas pressure and which is conducted through a dispensing line through various components that cause a pressure drop and thence to a dispensing valve. When the supply of beverage is exhausted, pressurized gas in place of beverage passes through the line and raises the pressure upstream of the dispensing valve and also downstream of the dispensing valve where a subseqauent flow restrictor is provided. The increase in pressure is sensed by a pressure switch that disables the dispensing valve and activates &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;sold-out&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; indicating means.

United States Patent 1 Fuqua Sept. 4, 1973 2,880,9[0 4/1959 Hanson et al222/2 X Primary ExaminerStanley H. Tollberg AttorneyCarlton Hill et al.

[75] Inventor: Norman L. Fuqua, South Hill, Va.

[73] Assignee: Lhe Cornelius Company, Anoka, [57] ABSTRACT inn. Abeverage dispensing system includes a supply of bev- IZZI Fllcd' erageor beverage ingredient which is subjected to gas |2l Appl. No.: 229,651pressure and which is conducted through a dispensing line throughvarious components that cause a pressure drop and thence to a dispensingvalve. When the supply Lg] (5|. of beverage is exhausted pressurize d gin place of d 61 66 5 5 beverage passes through the line and raises thepressure l g g "ifigfiig 1 upstream of the dispensing valve and alsodownstream k 5 of the dispensing valve where a subseqauent flowrestrictor is provided. The increase in pressure is sensed by a pressureswitch that disables the dispensing valve [56] uNlTE g gizflfE sgiqrENTs and activates sold-out indicating means.

3,420.282 1/1969 Marlow et al 222/396 X 12 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure SOLDOUT 25 1 L/Gfi/f (O/1V CO/VIRJZLFD POWER $676M sou/er:

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TERMINATING DISPENSING OFBEVERAGE WHEN SUPPLY IS EMPTY BACKGROUND This invention pertains to abeverage dispensing system which may comprise a line for handlingpre-mix beverage, or which may comprise the syrup line in a post-mixsystem, and more particularly to means for sensing the absence of suchliquid.

PRIOR ART It has been known heretofore to employ a float switch in abeverage line connected to take appropriate remedy in the absence ofliquid that it senses. Reliable float switches are relatively costly,and are not always trouble-free.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention utilizes a manuallyresetable pressure switch that senses an increase in line pressureremotely from the source which takes place when gas as distinguishedfrom beverage is conducted through such line.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved beverage dispensing system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a means forsensing the absence of a liquid or liquid ingredient in the system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simplelow-cost means for disabling the system in the absence of the liquidand/or indicating the absence of such liquid.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheet ofdrawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating theprinciples of the present invention is shown by way of illustrativeexample.

ON THE DRAWING The drawing is a diagrammatic view of a beveragedispensing system'provided in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWING The principles of the present invention areparticularly useful when embodied in a beverage dispensing system suchas illustrated in the drawing, generally indicated by the numeral 10.The system includes a tank ll containing a supply 12 of stored beverageor beverage ingredient. The term "beverage" as used herein is intendedto be generic to pre-mix beverage, beverage syrup and the like. The tank11 is pressurized by carbon dioxide gas obtained from a pressure vessel13 having a pressure regulator 14 that normally is set to deliver aconstant pressure, typically on the order of 30 psi. From the tank 11, aline 15 extends to a cup 16a disposed in a beverage dispensing stationof a beverage dispensing machine. In the line 15, there are variouscomponents including a constant flow-rate control valve 16, a coolingcoil 17 disposed within refrigeration means 18 and a dispensing valve19. Where the beverage comprises syrup, the dispensing valve 19 is ofthe mixing type, the line for water not being illustrated herein. Thedispensing valve 19 discharges to the cup 16a. In this embodiment, thereis an orifice 20 provided which serves as a flow restrictor. With thevalve 19 open, the effective flow size at the restrictor 20 ispreferably less than that anywhere along the length of the line.

In a typical embodiment, the constant flow-rate control valve willpermit 40 ccs of beverage to flow in 7 seconds, and under such flowconditions, with a pressure of 30 psi at the inlet, there will be apressure of about l0 psi at the outlet. The pressure drop from 10 psi toatmospheric is distributed between the remainder of the line, thecooling coil 17, the dispensing valve 19 and the flow restrictor 20. Itis thus evident that at a point 21 just upstream of the flow restrictor20, the pressure is atmospheric when the dispensing valve 19 is closed,and is normally not much above atmospheric when the dispensing valve 19is open. However, when the supply 12 of liquid beverage or beverageingredient I is exhausted, gas instead of liquid enters the line 15 andthe constant flow-rate control valve 16 has practically no significantpressure drop thereacross, and the pressure at the point 21 risesdramatically to about 15 psi. Pressure responsive means 22, herecomprising a latching type of pressure switch, is connected to sense thepressure at the point 21 and this great increase in pressure is notedand a single-pole double-throw switch therein is actuated so as toremove power from a coin controlled system 23 and hence to remove powerfrom the dispensing valve 19, and to deliver power to means forindicating that the supply of liquid beverage has been exhausted, suchas a sold-out" light 24.

With liquid flowing in the line, there is a pressure drop caused by theline itself and by each component that is connected in series in theline so that the pressure, switch 22 and point 21 can be placeddownstream of one of these pressure drop means, provided that it isfollowed by another component downstream which will cause a restrictionto gas flow to enable the pressure switch 22 to be actuated. With liquidnot flowing in the line, the point 21 is so disposed as to besubstantially at atmospheric pressure.

As the pressure switch 22 is of the latching type, when the pressure isgone, its switch will remain in the latched-out position. It thus is ofthe manual reset type and the service man who refills the tank 11 toplace the system back in service manually resets the pressure switch 22that is normally inaccessible to the public. Thus during a latchedcondition of the pressure switch 22, the coin controlled system will notaccept additional coins, as is well known.

The pressure switch 22 thus senses a normal pressure at a point in thesystem during dispensing, the pressure at that point being somewhat lessthan the setting of the pressure regulator 14. Because of pressure dropowing to the viscosity of the liquid, this normal pressure is relativelylow. However, with liquid absent from the system, and the viscosity ofgas being negligible, when'the liquid is absent, by having beendispensed, the various pressure drops in the line disappear or greatlydecrease so as to increase the pressure at the sensing point whereuponthe controls 23 are disabled to close the valve 19 until the system isagain serviced.

The disclosed apparatus operates in accordance with a method wherein gasis supplied at a predetermined pressure to a supply of the beverage, andduring normal dispensing, a normal pressure is sensed at a point in thesystem which then has a pressure less than the gas pressure. However,when the liquid is exhausted, there is an increase in said normalpressure during dispensing or attempted dispensing and this increase inpressure is utilized to automatically shut down the system.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versedin the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within thescope of the patent warrented hereon, all such embodiments as reasonablyand properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim:

I. In a method for automatically dispensing a beverage in a system, thesteps comprising:

a. applying gas to a supply of the beverage at a predetermined pressure;

b. from time to time, withdrawing servings of beverage from said supplyin response to said pressure;

0. during normal dispensing, sensing the normal pressure at a point inthe system which then has a pressure less than that upon said supply;and

d. automatically shutting down the system in response to increase insaid normal pressure during dispensing.

2. A system for automatically dispensing a beverage,

comprising:

a. a tank for storing a supply of the beverage, and arranged to beconnected to a supply of pressurized gas;

b. a line for conducting beverage from said supply;

0. a dispensing valve connected to said line;

d. controls connected to said valve for operating it;

and

e. pressure responsive means connected to a point in said line forsensing the normal pressure at such point during dispensing, andresponsive to an increase in such normal pressure to disable saidcontrols and to close said dispensing valve.

3. A system according to claim 2 including a constant flow -rate controlvalve for regulating the flow rate of beverage in said line, said pointbeing downstream of said flow-rate control valve.

4. A system according to claim 2 including a cooling coil in said lineand having a pressure-drop thereacross during dispensing, said pointbeing downstream of said cooling coil.

5. A system according to claim 2 including a beverage flow restrictor insaid line, said point being upstream of said flow restrictor.

6. A system according to claim 2 including a constant flow-rate controlvalve and a cooling coil in series with said dispensing valve, and abeverage flow restrictor downstream of said dispensing valve, said pointbeing between said dispensing valve and said flow restrictor.

7. In a method for automatically dispensing a beverage in a systemaccording to claim 1, the step of regulating the flow rate of beveragewithdrawn from the supply.

8. A system according to claim 2 in which said pressure responsive meansis of the latching manual reset type to maintain the disablement of saidcontrols.

9. In a method for automatically dispensing a beverage in a systemaccording to claim 1, the step of cooling the beverage upstream of saidpoint subsequently to withdrawing it from the supply.

10. In a method for automatically dispensing a beverage in a systemaccording to claim 1, the step of restricting the flow of beveragedownstream of said point whereby said increase is enhanced.

11. A system according to claim 5 in which said flow restrictor is anorifice vented to atmosphere downstream of said point.

12. A system according to claim 2 including means in said line causing apressure drop during beverage flow, and a gas flow restrictor downstreamthereof, said point being therebetween.

# i k i

1. In a method for automatically dispensing a beverage in a system, thesteps comprising: a. applying gas to a supply of the beverage at apredetermined pressure; b. from time to time, withdrawing servings ofbeverage from said supply in response to said pressure; c. during normaldispensing, sensing the normal pressure at a point in the system whichthen has a pressure less than that upon said supply; and d.automatically shutting down the system in response to increase in saidnormal pressure during dispensing.
 2. A system for automaticallydispensing a beverage, comprising: a. a tank for storing a supply of thebeverage, and arranged to be connected to a supply of pressurized gas;b. a line for conducting beverage from said supply; c. a dispensingvalve connected to said line; d. controls connected to said valve foroperating it; and e. pressure responsive means connected to a point insaid line for sensing the normal pressure at such point duringdispensing, and responsive to an increase in such normal pressure todisable said controls and to close said dispensing valve.
 3. A systemaccording to claim 2 including a constant flow -rate control valve forregulating the flow rate of beverage in said line, said point beingdownstream of said flow-rate control valve.
 4. A system according toclaim 2 including a cooling coil in said line and having a pressure-dropthereacross during dispensing, said point being downstream of saidcooling coil.
 5. A system according to claim 2 including a beverage flowrestrictor in said line, said point being upstream of said flowrestrictor.
 6. A system according to claim 2 including a constantflow-rate control valve and a cooling coil in series with saiddispensing valve, and a beverage flow restrictor downstream of saiddispensing valve, said point being between said dispensing valve andsaid flow restrictor.
 7. In a method for automatically dispensing abeverage in a system according to claim 1, the step of regulating theflow rate of beverage withdrawn from the supply.
 8. A system accordingto claim 2 in which said pressure responsive means is of the latchingmanual reset type to maintain the disablement of said controls.
 9. In amethod for automatically dispensing a beverage in a system according toclaim 1, the step of cooling the beverage upstream of said pointsubsequently to withdrawing it from the supply.
 10. In a method forautomatically dispensing a beverage in a system according to claim 1,the step of restricting the flow of beverage downstream of said pointwhereby said increase is enhanced.
 11. A system according to claim 5 inwhich said flow restrictor is an orifice vented to atmosphere downstreamof said point.
 12. A system according to claim 2 including means in saidline causing a pressure drop during beverage flow, and a gas flowrestrictor downstream thereof, said point being therebetween.